Friday, March 20, 2009

I Hate Change

Steven Page has left the Barenaked Ladies. The band made the announcement on February 25, but apparently I was too busy doing other things to read the official announcement on Facebook.

I discovered this band late -- about ten years ago -- and they instantly became my favorite band. After watching the documentary about the band, Barenaked in America, I decided this was a group of guys I could totally hang out with. I got to go to three of their concerts, and just loved the atmosphere at their shows. Even the one I saw in Gwinett, GA -- in a minor league hockey arena -- was great despite the fact that the building was 2/3 full. (I remember Ed Robertson getting the crowd revved up but quoting the words on the water tower by the interstate: "Gwinett is Great!") My ex-wife and I used to giggle at the lyric in one of their songs, "I just made you say underwear," a genuinely happy memory. And I'll never forget singing along to "If I Had a Million Dollars" in the piano bar in Las Vegas during my first trip there.

Well, I had a sense of foreboding when lead singer Steven Page was arrested on drug charges last summer. The band had just come out with an album of children's songs (of all things) and they basically had to cancel their tour, because of Page's boneheaded move of getting caught with a bunch of cocaine. At the time, their website had messages of support for Page, but something didn't feel right. It was the end of the innocence for me. The remaining members of the band are going to tour and record new music, and I think Ed Robertson is awesome. But Steve Page had a sound quality to his voice that cannot be replaced.

I know nothing lasts forever, but this really bums me out. I guess time will tell if the four- membered new BNL can carry on and thrive, but I know it just won't be the same.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Men Never Ask for Directions

I went to the subway tonight to go home. I had stayed two hours later than usual at the office and was dead tired. I began the long walk down the corridor at W. 3rd Street to the train platform when I saw there was a train waiting in the station so I ran down the ramp and watched as the express train on my left and the local train on my right closed their doors and pulled out of the station without me. I missed two trains by seconds. Rather than get ticked off, I listened to our house piano player and another train was in the station is about five minutes. I stepped onto the uptown local and a woman, who must have been mentally ill or just didn't care anymore, in about the most shrill voice I've ever heard, began shouting "DOES THIS TRAIN GO TO 86th Street?!!!!" The people on the train looked at each other bewildered, but did not respond. Again, she shouted, in tone that was hurting dogs somewhere, "DOES THIS TRAIN GO TO 86th Street?!!!!" I then heard muttering and someone must have said something to her because she stopped shouting.

In case you're wondering, no, that train did not go to 86th Street.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Happy Hour All Day Long

My neighborhood around my office is filled with little bars and clubs catering to students with awesome drink specials. You have to love that Happy Hour stretches from 12-7 and you get free wifi.

I stopped in at a great little bar on Eighth Avenue on my way home on Friday night. I spoke to the proprietor, a very nice guy from Ireland. He seemed genuinely happy and interested to see whether his patrons were having a good time. The guy next to me asked about food and he said they usually order pizza for everyone in the bar around 8 or 9. I didn't stick around for the pizza but I did jot down the saying posted behind the bar on the chalkboard:

Life is a waste of time, time is a waste of life, so get wasted all of the time and have the time of your life.